


The Junior Woodchuck Annual Trinity Woods Contest and Campout!

by spaceinvaderz



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Della is a good mom, Gen, but they're both insecure about their respective parenting abilities, gyro and della are best frenemies, gyro is a good dad, huey finally has junior woodchuck friends, parent content! so much parent content!, short non-graphic emeto warning at the beginning of chapter 4, the self indulgent slice of life camping fic i wrote mainly for myself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:47:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24991027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceinvaderz/pseuds/spaceinvaderz
Summary: The Junior Woodchuck Annual Trinity Woods Contest and Campout (or the JWATWCC for those who are short on time) is a beloved tradition that's been around for almost as long as the organization itself, and Huey Duck has been looking forward to this year's combination 3-day camping trip and points-based outdoor contest for months--after all, this time he's finally got enough friends for a 3-person team! And with his mom as his team's official adult chaperone, he's sure things will go off without a hitch.Gyro Gearloose hates camping. Always has, presumably always will. But his adopted sort-of kid is really into it, apparently, and if Della Duck can do it, then he's sure he can too. How hard can it be to...catch bugs in a net or...go hunting for mushrooms or...okay, he's not sure what camping entails exactly. But he'll figure it out. He's pretty good at figuring things out.
Relationships: B.O.Y.D. (Disney: DuckTales) & Gyro Gearloose, B.O.Y.D. (Disney: DuckTales) & Huey Duck, Della Duck & Gyro Gearloose, Della Duck & Huey Duck, Huey Duck & Violet Sabrewing, Huey Duck & Violet Sabrewing & B.O.Y.D.
Comments: 56
Kudos: 97





	1. Prologue (It's Pronounced The J-Watt-Wick)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a couple of birds get ready for a trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey i'm back! and with a full-fledged case of duck brain rot. this spawned from my love of the della/gyro rivalry headcanons and me thinking about huey finally having a team of three to do woodchuck things with. and a need to include all my favorite characters in one fanfiction. (also: trinity woods is a fake location. as far as i know it does not exist in the disney duckverse.)

It’s a quiet day in McDuck Manor. Which is rare. 

The most one can hear as they walk through the mansion’s halls are soft bagpipe music coming through the closed door to Scrooge’s office, the  _ whirr  _ of the vacuum as Ms. Beakley cleans the carpet, and a couple of bleeps, bloops and other pixelly noises as Della makes short work of a couple  _ Legends of LegendQuest _ mobs.

It’s peaceful. Relaxing. Almost too much so, considering the normal state of things in that particular household. 

It doesn’t last long, of course.

The front door slams open with an impressive bang and a red blur darts inside, rushes upstairs and leaps onto Huey’s bed with a whoop. Because the red blur  _ is  _ Huey Duck, admittedly functioning at a level of excitement that, for him, is usually reserved for when he eats too much sugar. His brothers are alerted to his presence.

“What’s up, Hue?” asks Louie, eyes still focused on the episode of  _ Ottoman Empire  _ he’s watching on his phone. “Big day in the world of the nerds?”

“Actually, yes,” the oldest triplet says, having calmed down substantially, although he’s still bouncing in place a little bit. “This weekend--it’s finally happening!”

“What’s happening, exactly?” questions Dewey, who’s been focused on a drawing of himself with muscles and a pair of sunglasses for the past few minutes.

“I finally have a team to compete in the Junior Woodchuck Annual Trinity Woods Contest and Campout!” 

“The what now?” asks Louie blankly.

“Only one of the most awesome events known to the Woodchucks! Every year, teams of three, accompanied by an adult chaperone, travel to Trinity Woods for three days to compete in all kinds of outdoorsy events for points and assorted prizes! I haven’t been able to compete since, well, since you guys dropped out.”

“Oh yeah,  _ that  _ camping trip!” Dewey pipes up. His voice takes on a darker tone, and his eyes start to look haunted. “Sometimes I still see that patch of poison ivy in my nightmares.”

Huey, continuing, takes little notice of Dewey’s flashback. “But this year, Boyd and Violet are gonna be my team! We’re gonna do everything by-the-book and we’ll be sure to win! It’ll be awesome to work with people who really understand what the Junior Woodchucks are all about.” He winces guiltily in sudden realization. “No offense, guys.”

“None taken.” Louie waves the accidental insult off. “If I never go camping again, it’ll be too soon.”

Huey hums contentedly, gazing at the poster that he’s been clutching in his hands since he got home. In bright colors,  _ JWATWCC  _ is splashed across the top, while the rest of the poster is a collage depicting children in Junior Woodchuck uniforms roasting marshmallows, climbing trees, going on nature walks, and generally looking like they’re having a pretty good time. 

Huey hops down from his bunk, poster in hand, in sudden realization. “Oh my gosh, I’ve gotta tell Mom! She’s gonna be so excited!”

And Della  _ is  _ excited--in fact, she’s delighted. “Man, the JWATWCC was one of my favorite parts of being a Woodchuck. Did you know the teams used to be four to a group? But they had to change the rules after--”

“--the necromancy incident of 1993!” mother and son finish together with joy. 

“So you’ll chaperone our team?” Huey asks hopefully. “Boyd and Violet are really nice, I promise, and they know tons about nature and--”

“You don’t need to convince me, honey,” Della says, laying a hand on her son’s back. “I’m a hundred percent on board! Maybe with you guys, I--I mean,  _ we _ \--can finally take that prize!”

She punctuates her words with a clenched fist and a determined stare into the distance. Huey decides he’s not going to ask her about her own JWATWCC career.

* * *

“The...j-watt- _ what _ ?”

“The JWATWCC,” Boyd explains, sitting on a small stool as he watches Gyro sketch out a blueprint. “It’s a Junior Woodchuck camping trip and competition. I’m ever so excited for it--Huey and Violet both say it’s very fun!” He clasps his hands together. “We’ll see the stars every night and go hiking in the woods--can you imagine anything more exciting?”

“I can imagine many things,” Gyro mutters, out of earshot of the younger bird. “So,” he begins, addressing Boyd now, “you’re that excited for the, uh, j-watt-whatever, huh?”

“So much!” exclaims Boyd. 

“Well,” he sighs, remembering something he read in one of the parenting books he got from the library about making sacrifices, “would you like me to come with you?”

“Oh, that’s okay, Dr. Gearloose! Huey’s mother has agreed to chaperone our group! Miss Della’s very nice, and she was a Junior Woodchuck when she was our age, too! Besides, I know you don’t like nature very much.”

“W-well,” Gyro stutters, “I can tolerate nature. Sometimes. When--wait, did you say  _ Della’s _ chaperoning you?”

Boyd nods.

“Oh,  _ in that case... _ who do I call to sign up for the J...J-wick--your thing?”

“You can talk to one of the troopmasters, but typically, groups are only allowed one chaperone, Dr. Gearloose,” informs a worried Boyd. “I wouldn’t want to break any rules.”

“I’m sure they’ll make an exception or something. I'm not letting that space-case upstart upstage me. I'm going to be _so good_ at camping. The best, in fact.” As Gyro looks around his lab to check for anything volatile he shouldn’t leave behind on a camping trip, he remembers something else. “2B--Boyd?”

Boyd, who’s been studying the poster closely, looks up. “Yes, Dr. Gearloose?”

“You don’t have to call me...never mind. It’s not important.”

Boyd cocks his head, but doesn’t press the matter. He returns to studying the poster, and Gyro resolves to research what one brings camping. Bug spray, for sure, and something outdoorsy to wear. Does he own anything outdoorsy? He'll look tonight.  __


	2. Gyro Gearloose Loves Bugs and Dirt (And You Can Quote Him On That)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> della and gyro meet and clash.

A few buses idle by the side of a Duckburg road, as children dressed in Junior Woodchuck uniforms chatter excitedly and drift into three-person clumps, while parents ask anxiously if their children remembered their sunscreen or their mosquito repellent. 

Violet Sabrewing hugs her fathers and sister goodbye and starts towards Huey and Della, who are animatedly discussing the geographical hotspots of Trinity Woods. Huey turns to his friend happily. “Violet! You’re here! This is my mom. I guess you guys have met before, but not...formally or anything--you know, I'm sure you get it.”

Violet shakes hands with the taller duck. “It’s a pleasure, Ms. Duck.”

“Aw, just Della is fine, Violet. The feeling’s mutual,” Huey’s mom says kindly. “I hear you’ve been on quite a few of these before!”

“The JWATWCC is one of my favorite Junior Woodchuck events,” Violet says with a small smile. “However, in the past I’d often find myself having to pick up the slack for less motivated teammates, so I’m excited to be working with Hubert and...Boyd, was it?”

Huey nods. “You’ll like him! He’s really into...technology. And--oh, hey, there he is!”

Boyd, in his own Junior Woodchuck uniform, waves to Huey. Trailing behind him is an already uncomfortable-looking Gyro Gearloose, weighed down by approximately fifty pounds of camping gear in the form of a backpack and two duffel bags and wearing a bright yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the words _Fun in the Sun!_ in orange lettering, accompanied by baggy green shorts. He’s the only one in the little five-person group not in a uniform. Della tries (and fails) to hide a snicker behind her hand.

Gyro is barking orders through a cell phone. “And _don’t let anyone touch the blueprints on my desk,_ they’re not FINISHED, and the liquid nitrogen microwave is HIGHLY unstable and _what just exploded in the background,_ don’t lie to me I HEARD it, CRACKSHELL-CABRERA I SWEAR ON MY DOCTORATE--”

He slowly becomes aware of the wide eyes of Huey and Violet focused on him, and the amused smile of Della, and clears his throat. “Ahem. Hello...children. And Della.”

“Nice outfit, Gy,” Della comments, in the voice of someone trying very hard not to burst out laughing. 

The scientist glares at her. “I don’t own a lot of camping-appropriate apparel, _Miss Duck._ ”

The pilot narrows her eyes, looking just a little less amused. “I don’t doubt that. But last I checked, you aren’t _going_ camping, because _I_ am these kids’ chaperone.”

Gyro looks smug. “That’s what I heard. But I spoke to the head of your little J--whatsit event, and he said, and I quote, ‘if the Duck family is involved, I'm sure this is the _least_ ridiculous breach in protocol that will occur this trip,’ and informed me that he’d make an exception for our group. So I will be chaperoning right alongside you.”

Della laughs in the way that adults laugh when they’re obviously very, very annoyed by something a person has just said but are trying to react in a socially appropriate way. “Sure you will, Gearloose. I give you a day before you’re on the first bus back to your air-conditioned laboratory.”

“We’ll just _see about that._ ”

“ _We sure will._ ”

“Guys!” Huey pushes in between the two adults, who are glaring at each other through narrowed eyes. “We should get on the bus.”

Della shakes her head in an effort to clear it. “Right! Sorry, Huey.” She tosses a single smirk back in Gyro’s direction. “You’re in my territory now,” she says under her breath, before turning to board the bus.

It takes Gyro a couple of minutes maneuvering his gear to get it on the bus successfully. Once he is on board, his mood doesn’t improve, as he looks around scornfully and mutters something about germs and years of dirt in between the seat cushions.

“You don’t have to do this just because I like it,” says Boyd from beside him. “It’s nice of you, but I’m sure you’d rather be working on something in the laboratory, like Miss Della said.”

“What? No!” Gyro protests, forcing a smile. “I love...bugs...and dirt...and old buses. This will be _great._ Couldn’t be more excited.”

“If you’re sure,” Boyd says, still somewhat uncertain-sounding. 

“I’m very sure,” Gyro lies.

Boyd looks down at his seat, then back at Gyro. “Okay, then. Thanks, Dr…” He clears his throat. “Thanks, Dad.”

If asked, he’d probably blame it on the bus’s low air quality, but Gyro feels something form in the back of his throat. This doesn’t feel quite as much like he’s doing it to spite Della anymore. 

And now he _really_ can’t tap out early and go home. No matter how fidgety he feels thinking about Fenton freezing his hand off by putting a burrito in the wrong microwave. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no, not every chapter will end with a heartfelt scene between boyd and gyro. some chapters will end with a heartfelt scene between other characters and boyd and/or gyro! i'm joking. maybe.


	3. Della Duck Takes the Road Less Traveled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang goes hiking.

The bus ride is long, and it gives Gyro a bit of time to reflect on things. Sure, he and nature haven’t been on the best of terms in the past, but a good scientist tests a hypothesis multiple times, and how can he say he hates nature when he hasn’t spent time in it for--well, a while? Maybe he doesn’t have to proceed through this whole ordeal with gritted teeth. Maybe camping really won’t be so bad.

A few hours later, the buses arrive at the campsite, and Gyro receives an answer to his hypothesis. It is fairly definitive.

He still hates nature. Oh, he hates it so much. 

The plant life he isn’t allergic to is poisonous, and the animal life that isn’t vicious is coated in dirt. But honestly, so is _everything_ because it’s outside and outside is made of dirt. It’s either too hot or too cold at all times. And there is _no end_ to the infernal swarms of insects.

It doesn’t take Della long to notice his discomfort. “Ready to give up?” she asks lightly, elbowing him. 

“You wish,” he manages through a tissue stuffed against his beak. 

She sighs. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Darn you and your stubbornness that I can’t get mad at ‘cause that’d be the pot calling the kettle black.”

She sets her backpack down and pulls out a bundle of fabric. “C’mon. They’re setting up the tents. Chaperones get their own tents, and luckily for us, I am crazy-prepared enough to have brought a three-person tent. Means I get to sleep farther away from your snoring.”

“I don’t snore,” he protests.

“Can you prove that?” Della challenges. 

He can’t, which is extremely annoying. 

Della shakes out the tent, retrieving a set of poles from her backpack and setting them in the ground. She points to a section of the tent. “Here, lift this side. Hook that thing over this pole and--not that way, the other.” She huffs and heads over to squat next to him. “Move over, I got this.”

He thinks about arguing, but pitching a tent is one of few subjects that he can say he knows next to nothing about. So he sits back and watches as Della masterfully assembles a dark green tent like she’s done it hundreds of times before (she probably has).

This is what annoys him about Della Duck--as much as he clashes with her and jokes about her ability, he knows that she’s capable. Very capable. Sometimes of things he isn’t, and he isn’t known to get along well with people who can do things better than he can. 

He doesn’t want parenting to be one of those things. 

Della dusts herself off and stands up. “And there we go. We should meet up with everyone else. I think we’re gonna go hiking next.”

“Oh, joy,” states Duckburg’s most prominent inventor in a voice oozing with sarcasm. 

Della snorts. “Aw, c’mon. It’s not gonna be that tough. You can outlast a couple of eleven year olds, Gy.”

“I’m sure,” he sighs, and resolves himself for the endless blisters and bug bites he will surely be receiving. He longs for his untested hover-boots. Sure, they had a 37% chance of exploding if pressure was applied to them in the wrong way, but he’d be willing to brave the odds if it meant he didn’t have to hike up--

“‘Waterfall Peak,” Violet reads from her Junior Woodchuck Guidebook, “is named for the iridescent waterfall that cascaded down its peak...”

“I remember sitting at the top of the mountain and watching the water as a kid,” Della sighs contentedly. “It’s gorgeous up there. You kids are gonna love it!”

“...until the waterfall dried up four years ago thanks to an unnatural drought caused by the Trinity Woods fire spirit infestation. Locals have been petitioning to rename the mountain Sad Trickle Peak,’” finishes Violet, wincing. “Oh, dear.”

Della’s face falls. “Oh.” Glancing at Huey, she adds in a brighter tone of voice, “I--I mean, that’s okay! The hike is half the fun of the whole thing anyway!”

 _I beg to differ,_ is what Gyro would say if he wasn’t wheezing approximately twenty paces away from the rest of the group. Boyd occasionally stops to give him a concerned glance. 

“Alright. According to the troop leaders, whoever reaches the mountain first gets a point towards the prize,” Della explains to the kids in a conspiratorial tone. “Luckily for us, I know a shortcut that’ll get us there before the other teams know what hit them. C’mon, down this way.”

Della leads the way as the children (and Gyro behind them) maneuver down a narrower path cluttered with sticks and rocks. Violet stumbles over a log overgrown with mushrooms. Gyro swats a low-hanging branch out of his face as he notices the cliffside pressing ever closer to them.

The path grows only narrower, as the team of five is forced to walk single file, scraping shoulders with the rocky face of Waterfall Peak. _Maybe we should turn back_ , is what Gyro wants to say very badly, if his throat wasn’t clogged with pollen and his lungs weren’t tired from climbing. 

Huey finally starts to notice the path getting narrower. “Hey, Mom? Not that I don’t trust you, but this seems kinda dangerous. Junior Woodchuck Rule 93: better safe than sorry, right?”

“Relax, sweetie! I’ve done this tons of times before.” Della pats the sheer rock wall beside her. You kids don’t have anything to worry abou--”

As she steps forward, the ever-thinning path finally gives way, and with a cascade of rocks, a crack yawns open in the path, creating a definitive and dangerous dead end. The rocks tumble downwards, and down further, until they’re out of sight completely.

Della stumbles forward with a yelp, her feet finding air where there should be solid ground. The kids lunge into action and manage to pull her backwards, and she falls on her backside, panting. Gyro catches up a few seconds too late.

“What…” Della murmurs, looking dumbfounded. “Last time I walked this way, this path was completely stable.”

“And how long ago was that?” manages Gyro at last.

“I guess it really has been a while,” says Della softly. “I didn’t think…”

She gets to her feet and shakes a spray of grit out of her metal leg. “I’m sorry, guys. Looks like we won’t be winning this challenge.”

“Are you kidding? That’s, like, the least important thing that just happened! You almost _died,_ ” Huey protests, throwing his arms around his mother. “We’re just glad you’re okay.”

Violet and Boyd both murmur their agreement. 

“The path’s too narrow for me to get around and walk in front,” admits Della. “So. Lead the way, Gyro.”

He startles a bit in the face of this sudden promotion, but begins to make his way back towards the other groups, still making their way up Waterfall Peak. It’s slow going for a little while (he has to stop and catch his breath occasionally, which Della grumbles about only minimally, to her credit), but eventually they do make it to the top of the mountain. In seventh place. 

Della doesn’t take this quite as well. The entire way down, she mutters about how they were robbed--she survived a _near death experience,_ granted it was like her twentieth this month but _still,_ until they make their way back to the campsite as the treetops begin to glow softly orange and the sun retreats past the horizon.

Gyro doesn’t remember much pertaining to the rest of the evening, but he remembers that sleeping on the ground is terrible and hurts his back, and he also remembers that Della snores.

Loudly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly i'm with gyro in regards to the tent-pitching thing, i had to google "how to pitch a tent" to see if i could use any of it for descriptive purposes and i was SO lost and confused i just described the tent scene in the vaguest way possible.
> 
> also gyro probably does snore because his sinuses are all screwed up by Nature but i didn't wanna mention it in the fic because it'd just be adding insult to injury at that point. gy i promise i love you but, much like della, i showcase that affection by bullying you


	4. "Gonna Need, Like, a Real Big Bag of Rice"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang (minus one) goes kayaking, and runs into a slight problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, quick heads up: this chapter has a very short reference to throwing up and being sick in general. it's near the beginning and is relatively non-graphic. it's the line after gyro's "i'm serious, della."

The following morning, Gyro develops food poisoning.

At this point, Della almost feels bad for him. She hasn’t met someone whose relationship with nature is so full of mutual hatred since her brother. It doesn’t stop her from continuing to tease him about it.

“You sure you’re not getting ready to throw in the towel, buddy? I’ll even call you a Zuber back into Duckburg and everything. I’m that nice.”

Gyro groans and turns over. “You’re not getting the best of me, Della. And neither is this _ridiculous_ \--ugh--CAMPING TRIP. I’ll take some antacid or something. Be back to normal by this afternoon at the latest. Mark my words.”

“Aw, and here I was looking forward to how you’d approach the kayaking race with us this morning,” Della sighs, folding her arms behind her head. “Looks like I’ll just have to impress the kids with my totally awesome rowing skills without you around to make me look better.”

“Wait--kayaking? As in, in a boat on a lake?” Gyro sits up so fast Della leans backwards. “ _All_ of you?”

“Yeah. What, changed your mind about coming with us?”

“No--listen, Boyd has some...issues with water. He’s not...supposed to get wet. Have you heard of aquagenic urticaria?”

Della stares at him. “No. No, I haven’t.”

“It’s when someone develops rashes or experiences other adverse physical reactions when in contact with water. Boyd is kind of like that. Except not exactly. It’s all very serious, technical medical stuff, I’m sure I’ve got a doctor’s note in here somewhere that’d excuse him from participating…”

“C’mon, Gy,” Della says, frustrated, but clears her throat as she realizes maybe she should use just a little bit of tact this time. “It’s not like we’re going _in_ the water. And all the kids will be wearing life vests. Plus, I’ve got an EpiPen in my bag, I think. Huey’s tongue swells up when he eats coconuts.”

“Boyd’s condition isn’t like a typical allergy,” insists Gyro. “It’s...unusual. Unique.”

“Yes, your kid’s different and special and unlike all the rest. Join the parenting club, dude. That’s, like, rule 1 of having a kid. We all think that.”

“I’m serious, Della. If anything happens to him, I will personally--”

Gyro has to pause to retch into a bucket beside his sleeping bag, but Della gets the idea. 

“I got it, I got it. Listen, I’ll even let Boyd sit up front with me, just to make sure not a drop of water hurts his fuzzy little head. Cross my heart and all that. You sleep off your stomach problems while I show my kid and yours what an awesome, _safety-focused_ camping chaperone I am.”

Gyro mutters something indistinct, but Della’s already marching out of their tent and towards the one next to theirs, where the kids are waiting for her. They cluster around her, and Boyd asks worriedly about the whereabouts of Gyro.

“Ate something that didn’t agree with him. He’s just resting for a little while, but he should be back to his normal grouchy self in a couple of hours. In the meantime, who’s ready to go kayaking?!?”

Huey and Violet cheer, but Boyd shuffles a foot. “M--miss Della? I don’t mean to be rude, but--”

Della places a hand on Boyd’s shoulder. “Gy told me about your, uh, water thing. It’s okay, buddy--you can sit up front, with me. And you’ll be wearing a life vest, and you won’t even have to touch the water. Everything’s gonna be fine.”

Boyd looks nervous, but nods slowly. “Okay, Miss Della. If--if you’re sure.”

“Sure I’m sure! Come on, kids, to the lake!”

Della’s whistling, allowing herself to feel the way she felt back when she was going kayaking on Trinity Woods Lake for the first time. Excited, the wind in her hair, a little apprehensive--no.

She is going to bond with her son and she is going to have an _excellent_ time doing it.

Camping, adventuring, outdoorsy stuff--she’s good at all of that. Better than Gyro. Which is why she sometimes rubs it in his face. She knows he can take it, because he’s better than her at a lot of things.

She doesn’t want parenting to be one of those things.

They pick a kayak, and Della climbs in front, gently patting the seat behind her, where Boyd enters. Behind him is Huey, and Violet brings up the rear. Huey whispers something to Boyd that Della can’t hear. _Probably just kid stuff,_ she figures. _They’re fine._

A pair of buoys float near the opposite end of the lake, creating a finish line for the boats to aim for. Della steels her eyes as she gazes at it. “Okay, team. Oars up and ready to row in…”

An older dog (a troop leader from another town, she guesses) counts them in. “Three...two...one…” 

With a sharp _fweet,_ he blows a plastic whistle to begin the race, and Della leaps into action. “Row, row, row! Left stroke, right stroke. Left stroke, right stroke. That’s it, kids! You’re doing great! Left stroke, right stroke…”

They work like a well-oiled machine, responding to Della’s commands and managing to put a sizeable gap between their little red kayak and those of the other teams, who are still struggling to match each others’ movements. 

The boat rocks back and forth precariously for a moment, and Boyd tenses in fear. Della swivels around to give him a reassuring glance. Or at least she hopes it’s reassuring. It seems to work, at least, because Boyd relaxes a bit. 

At least until they pick up speed again, but they’re closing in on the finish line now, they’re _so close_ , and Della’s eyes are locked on the fluorescent orange of the buoys, their distance decreasing and decreasing _until_ \--

“ _YES!_ ”

With a whoop of excitement, Della thrusts her paddle up in the air as her team’s kayak glides smoothly to the opposite end of the lake. Boyd pats himself as if to make sure he’s still dry as Huey and Violet high-five. “That’s one point for Team, uh, hey, we never thought of a team name, did we?” Della asks the group. “Oooh, what do you guys think of the Avian Agitators?”

A group of young Beagles comes barreling across the finish line to land at the side of Della and the kids, their momentum creating a wave of water that splashes all four with lake water. Della spits and growls as the Beagle kids climb out of their kayak, laughing. “Ugh! Who raised some of these...uh-oh.”

She slowly turns around to Boyd, who is currently drenched in water from head to toe. “Hey, buddy,” she says in the tone of voice one uses when talking to a frightened animal. “How...how’re ya doing? You okay?”

“I--I--1 d0n’t fee1 very g00d,” grinds out Boyd, who’s starting to... _spark?_

Della turns away from the kids to quickly say every swear word she knows, then lifts Boyd out of the kayak to place him on dry land, followed by Huey and Violet. “Okay! Okay! This is fixable! I think! I don’t-- _what is this?_ ”

“We’ve gotta get him to Dr. Gearloose,” advises Huey. “He knows how to deal with...this.”

A stray spark lands on the edge of the kayak and sets it on fire. Della yelps and kicks it into the water as fast as possible. “No! He’s gonna kill m--I mean, we really shouldn’t disturb him while he’s resting or anything!”

Boyd opens his beak and a siren sound comes out. Huey frantically closes it. “Well, we’ve gotta do _something!_ Fast!”

As other teams are crossing the finish line, they’re beginning to stare. Della, wearing the widest grin she can manage, edges in front of Boyd to hide him from sight. She begins to inch around the lake as Huey moves Boyd. “Looks like someone’s, uh, been out in the sun for too long! We better head back and reapply your sunscreen real quick, eh, champ?” she asks cheerily as an extremely freaked-out Violet hisses to Huey, “Has this _happened before?”_

Della picks up Boyd and flinches as a few stray sparks land on her arms. “Gotta run! Great race! Really close at the end there! Be right back!”

With Huey and Violet at her heels, she sprints toward the tents, and prays to every pantheon of gods she’s ever heard of that Gyro is asleep right now. 

When they reach the campsite, Della sets Boyd down as gently as possible. Parts of him have begun to twitch incessantly. “Huey, Violet. Take Boyd into your tent. Tell people he’s sleeping. _Keep him in there._ I’m gonna figure something out.”

As Della unzips the entrance to her tent, she notes, with a relief so fierce it’s all-consuming for a moment, that Gyro is, in fact, asleep. And snoring raspily, but winning that debate is the farthest thing from her mind right now. Because she has to figure out what to do, and she really, really doubts an EpiPen will cut it. 

Della’s eyes drift to Gyro’s overstuffed backpack. _He’s gonna kill me for looking through his stuff,_ a tiny part of her thinks, but it’s immediately drowned out by the much larger part of her that argues _HE’S GONNA KILL ME EVEN HARDER FOR BREAKING HIS KID!_

Della ruffles through the backpack as quietly as she can as Gyro mumbles in his sleep. She growls under her breath. “ _Why_ did he pack so much stuff? Is this a _freeze ray?_ What does he think _happens_ on camping trips?”

Gyro turns over, mumbling sleepily, “...Mr. McDuck, I can assure you that we’ve thoroughly tested it for any evil tendencies…” 

At last, Della’s hands close around a thick book that she lifts out with frenzied hope. The front cover reads, in neat print, _2BO OWNER’S MANUAL. 2BO_ is crossed out and _B.O.Y.D._ is written over it in permanent marker.

“I’m only 90 percent surprised,” Della mumbles to herself. “Let’s hope this thing has a table of contents.”

It does. Thank whatever gods are in charge of fate today (Della’s pretty sure the Norns usually do Saturdays, but they might have switched the schedule while she wasn’t around). 

Della flips to _Water Damage._ Whispering the instructions to herself, she commits them to memory and returns the book to its more-or-less proper place in Gyro’s backpack. 

She climbs out of her tent and into the kids’, where Boyd is sitting on his sleeping bag, still sparking occasionally. Violet stands behind him with what looks to be a pocket fire extinguisher.

“Okay! According to Gyro’s Boyd book, we’ve got to, uh, first pour out any water that may have gotten into his system by opening his...panels...Huey, please tell me you know where those are.”

Huey wordlessly opens a panel in Boyd’s chest. Lakewater pours out. 

Della gives him a thumbs up. “Now, dry thoroughly with a microfiber cloth and--give me a second.”

One trip next door to steal ( _borrow,_ she insists to herself) the cloth resting next to Gyro’s glasses, she returns, takes a deep breath, and gently begins swiping at the metal insides of one of the kids she’s supposed to be responsible for.

When it’s done, she turns to Huey once more. “Now it says we put him into sleep mode. How--”

Huey presses an unseen button on the top of Boyd’s head, and the little parrot smoothly lies down, closes his eyes, and begins breathing lightly. Della lets out her own breath. “Now, we’ll wait here for a few minutes, then we can wake him up and everything should be okay. Hopefully.”

And so they wait. No one speaks, until Della checks her watch, gently shakes Boyd, and he stirs. “What happened?”

Della sits down in front of him. “I messed up. I’m sorry, kid. I wasn’t careful enough with your safety. I should have asked more questions. I should have just forfeited or something.” She sighs. “That’s twice I’ve put you guys in danger now on this trip. I’m not the best chaperone, am I?”

Boyd shakes his head emphatically. “Don’t worry, Miss Della! Things like this happen all the time. It used to be worse, before Huey and Dad--Dr. Gearloose--helped. You just wanted us to have fun. And I did! Except for the scary parts. But you shouldn’t blame yourself for the actions of those bullies on the lake. You couldn’t know that was going to happen, anyway.”

Della sighs and pats Boyd on the head. “I guess you’re right. You’re pretty sharp, Mini-Gy. Still, I’m gonna do my best to be more careful in the future.”

“I believe in you, Miss Della!” replies Boyd, earnestly.

Violet clears her throat. “I hate to interrupt, but may I please ask for clarification on _what in the world is going on?_ ”

“Well,” Huey starts, “it’s kind of a long story. But it all started in Tokyolk, eleven years ago…”

As much as she kind of wants to hear this story, Della realizes she should probably get back to her own tent before her co-chaperone realizes anything is amiss. Taking the microfiber cloth with her, she backs out of the kids’ tent and re-enters her own just as Gyro stirs. 

“Blech. My mouth tastes terrible. What’d I miss?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy a chapter that's at least twice as long as any other chapter so far! also, while it probably isn't gonna get brought up in the story itself, gyro and the drakes have joint custody of boyd at the moment. he spends a week with one and a week with the other, etc. also also, aquagenic urticaria is just the nerdy way of saying "water allergy." i got the name zuber from the duckburg quest video game, which i'm pretty sure is unofficial but i don't really care.


	5. Reality and Other Horror Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> della tells a campfire tale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey i'm back! i know this was a super jump between chapter updates but i've been busy (as busy as someone can be during summer in quarantine). but don't worry i WILL finish this fanfic. i love these guys too much to abandon them.

The sky is darkening over Trinity Woods, and as a chill breeze whisks across the campgrounds of the Junior Woodchucks, a warm fire crackles in the center of said campground.

The Woodchucks are gathered in a circle around the campfire. Gyro is seated on a log. He’s placed a towel under him in an attempt to minimize his contact with nature. Della takes a seat next to her son, who has just finished off a freshly-roasted s’more. “Ghost stories aren’t my favorite part of camping,” Huey admits. “They kinda fall flat most of the time...y’know, after everything we’ve done in real life.”

Violet nods. “I’m inclined to agree. After being transported to a nightmare dimension of your friend’s own creation, campfire stories don’t hold the same gravitas.”

Della cuffs Huey lightly on the shoulder. “Aw, come on! If we tell the best story, we’ll get bonus points for our team. Doesn’t that excite you?”

“Well, yeah, but I’m not great at imagination stuff,” Huey says with a shrug. “I never win this event.”

“Lucky for you, you’ve got me on your side this time!” Della grins.

When a troop leader asks who would like to tell the first story, she raises her hand triumphantly…

Then freezes as her mind goes blank. She keeps flashing back to the first story she ever told her kids, which ended with them shaking and traumatized. She flips frantically through the recesses of her brain to find something appropriate for a bunch of children (who are beginning to look at her impatiently), but comes up empty.

“Once upon a time,” she begins weakly, “there was a friendly bird who lived with all of her best friends in a forest where things were great, all the time, and...ugh. I swear I had something better than this just a second ago.”

Gyro puffs himself up self-importantly. “Never fear, co-chaperone. I’m sure I can tell a perfectly good ‘ghost story.’” He places air quotes around the last two words. Flipping a flashlight on so it frames his face, he asks the audience in a low voice, “So...which of you have ever heard of _the concept of entropy?_ ”

Della winces so hard she’s pretty sure she pulls something in her back. Most of the Woodchucks mutter in confusion. Huey asks tentatively, “Are you talking about...the degree of disorder in thermodynamic systems? That entropy?”

“Exactly!” Gyro accidentally tosses the flashlight in the air. It lands behind him in a pile of leaves. “I’ll get that later. Anyway, entropy gets everyone eventually! It’s the reason we all die of old age one day! What could be scarier than that?”

The Woodchucks don’t appear to look any more frightened than they were a few minutes ago. Della sighs. “No offense, Gy, but you’re only marginally better at this than I am.”

Then she gets an idea.

“Actually, everyone, I do have a story. And it’s all the scarier, because...it’s true.”

She takes a deep breath.

“Once upon a time, not very long ago, there was a young duck who wanted to see the whole universe and experience it all. She’d been all around the world, and she wanted to see something that could make her feel small again. She wanted to see the stars and find a way to bring them home to her family, so they would never forget how much she loved them. But she made a terrible mistake, and she got lost, away from everyone she knew and cared about--and even while she tried to stay positive, every day she felt herself getting colder and more scared, until she doubted that she’d ever find her way back to the life that she once knew.”

The wind stirs on the back of her neck. The fire crackles in the center of the storytelling circle, but all of the Woodchucks are silent.

“Except one day she did, and it was wonderful and everything that she’d dreamed of for all that time, at first. But slowly she started to realize that things were different, and streets she thought led to places she knew led to somewhere else entirely, and it felt like everyone she knew had started to look at her differently. She tried to fit in again. She tried to carve herself a space in this world just a little removed from the one she knew. But it never felt like she was fitting right, and no matter what she did, she knew the people around her could see that she was wrong now. The world had kept turning while she was gone, and now she was stuck trying to catch up on all she’d missed. Sometimes she wonders...if anything would be different if she’d just stayed gone.”

The circle is quiet for a few minutes after she finishes, as if they expect her to start again, or maybe burst out crying. A small pig ventures, “I don’t get it.”

Della smiles at him tiredly. “It’s okay. You don’t have to.”

She gets up from the circle. “I think I’m gonna go to bed.”

She hears the crunching of leaves behind her as someone leaves the circle to follow her, but doesn’t turn around until she’s unzipped her tent and climbs inside. 

Huey follows her inside, rubbing his eyes. “What was that about?”

She sighs. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I just feel like...I’m not really good for anything anymore.”

Huey looks so offended by her suggestion that she almost laughs. It’s a bright spot in her otherwise sour mood. “What? Of course you’re good for things? You’re...for one thing, you’re my mom! And I love you, and so do Dewey and Louie--why would you think you’re not good for anything?”

“I mean, it seems like Donald and Uncle Scrooge did a fine job of caring for you guys when I wasn’t there. Heck, it feels like these days even Gyro’s better at being a parent than I am. And even this trip...I used to be so good at Junior Woodchuck stuff, and now it feels like I’ve gotta relearn everything all over again. It feels like I’ve been holding you guys back more than anything.”

Huey stares at her without blinking. Before Della can ask if he’s okay, he envelops her in a hug so tight she’s tempted to ask him when he got so strong. But she wraps her arms around him instead. 

“I think we all feel like that, a little bit, sometimes,” Huey says, when Della releases him. “I mean, when I was competing with Violet to be a Senior Woodchuck, I totally felt like I had to relearn stuff I thought I knew. But that doesn’t mean I’m bad at being a Woodchuck! I mean, I’ve got almost as many badges as Violet now. And Uncle Scrooge and Uncle Donald are great, but you’re _our mom._ Even if you weren’t good at anything else, that still makes you important.”

Della strokes the top of his head. “Are all of you kids this good at giving impassioned speeches?”

“More or less,” mumbles Huey, his eyelids starting to droop with tiredness.

Della gathers him into her arms as his breathing slows and his chest rises and falls less frequently. She gets up carefully, not wanting to wake him up, and makes her way out of her tent. She tucks him into his sleeping bag and gives him a final kiss on the forehead before she returns to her own tent. She entertains the idea of returning to hear the rest of the ghost stories, but she finds herself agreeing with Huey and Violet--campfire tales are less scary when you’ve lived through worse.

It only takes a few minutes before she’s joined by Gyro, who sighs before asking in a halting voice, “Are you...okay?” like it’s something he’s not used to saying (and it probably isn’t).

“Aw, you know me, I’m fine. Nothing can stop Della Duck,” she says with a little half-smile. It feels the tiniest bit more true now than it did earlier that day, she realizes. “What, not gonna stay and sit around the campfire with Boyd and Violet? Nothing could match up to the existential horror of entropy, I’m guessing.”

“Those stories were entirely scientifically inaccurate,” Gyro says primly. “And before you tell me they’re not ‘supposed to be based in fact’ or something, that’s the excuse lesser-minded individuals use to justify obvious plot holes in their unoriginal narratives. I mean, an 18-foot monster in a heavily forested area, and you’re telling me no one noticed the obvious signs of habitation? There’d be footprints and hair samples, at the very least.”

Della can’t help but snort. It’s the most _Gyro_ response he could have given, and maybe that’s what she needs tonight. “Never change, Gy.”

“I didn’t plan to,” says Gyro, in a voice that suggests he’s rather caught off guard by her response.

As they settle in for the night, Della confides one last thing in her fellow chaperone.

“Y’know, you saved my life up there. On the moon. OxyChew--you could sell that stuff for real. If you tried out a couple of new flavors, maybe. I can think of people who’d be lined up to buy something like that.”

“Oh, like all of your astronaut friends?” Gyro asks dryly. “Not the most sizable market, there.”

She shoves him lightly. “People who struggle with getting proper nutrition, or staying hydrated. People with breathing conditions. Deep sea divers. You’re a scientist, Gearloose. Think outside the box a little.”

Gyro takes off his glasses and cleans them absentmindedly. “Fair point, I suppose. And listen, Della...for what it’s worth…”

“Yeah?”

“...I’m glad you’re home.”

“Thanks, Gy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> della and gyro putting some more "friends" into "frenemies" also: i took some liberties with the definition of entropy because i didn't feel like looking through my physics notes to find a more appropriate one.


	6. Baby Light My Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one wonders if "people-watching" is also referred to as "bird-watching" in duckburg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the final big contest-driven chapter! sorry it took so long to come out, my energy reserves during the past few weeks have been low, and there was a lot i wanted to have happen in this chapter. hopefully, the next few will come out sooner, since they're intended more to wrap up the contest and give the characters a chance to have a few final conversations. anyway, hope you enjoy this one!

As the sun rises on the final day of the JWATWCC, Della is back to her old self. Maybe even a little extra on top of her old self.

“Rise and shine, gang!” she barks happily as Gyro, Huey, Boyd and Violet crawl out of their tents, varying degrees of exhaustion showing on their face (Boyd at one end, Gyro at the other). “Today we’re going birdwatching, and I’ve got the perfect plan to totally crush the opposition!”

“You’ve said that about every event so far,” Gyro points out. “And with few exceptions, your ‘perfect plans’ have fallen pretty far short of perfect.”

Della waves off the criticism. “I expected you’d say that, my phasianid pal. But this time, it’s different. Because this time, we’re going to find... _a phoenix._ ”

She accompanies her announcement by unfurling a drawing she made of something that’s probably supposed to be a phoenix. It looks more like a rather distressed mutant chicken. Gyro laughs, then attempts to turn it into a cough.

“A phoenix?” asks Huey. “I know there’s a lot of speculation on whether or not phoenixes live in Trinity Woods, but most of it’s just that--speculation. Are you sure we’d be able to find one? Are you sure they’re even _real?_ ”

Della chuckles. “Oh, they’re real, alright. I know because... _I’ve seen one._ ” She pauses for awestruck gasps, but recieves none and continues with a roll of her eyes. “When I was a kid, on one of my very first JWATWCC camping trips, I saw something that blazed as bright as the sun soar across the sky for just a few seconds. Donald didn’t believe me, but I know what I saw. And I know that if we can track down a phoenix, we’ll get so many birdwatching points we’ll probably break the birdwatching points-scale!” She flings her arms in the air. “C’mon, you guys. After all the crazy stuff we’ve seen, don’t you think it’ll be easy enough for us to snap a picture of a phoenix?”

“I suppose something as rare as a phoenix really would be quite impressive to the Woodchuck higher-ups,” Violet says hesitantly. “I don’t even know if it’s listed in the Birdwatching section of the JWG.”

“And that’s what makes it so exciting!” Della adds.

Huey shrugs. “I guess phoenix hunting does sound like fun. And the worst thing that could happen would be us not winning, so...I’m in.”

Della tenses at the phrase “not winning,” but pats Huey on the shoulder. “That’s my boy! So, how about it, Gearlooses? Up for tracking down a living legend?”

“Of course!”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Then let’s go, team!” cheers Della. “Mr. Mildew’s explaining the rules of the contest. ‘Course, I’ve still got them all memorized, but, y’know, can’t hurt to brush up on them, right?”

Mr. Mildew, a creaky old snowy owl and the leading Woodchuck troopmaster, talks so slowly that Della finds herself tapping her foot impatiently.

“Your Junior Woodchuck Guidebook should have a list of the birds that can be found in Trinity Woods, separated into categories of Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. You will each be provided with a camera to take pictures of the birds you find. Each Common species is worth one point, Uncommon species worth two, and so on. Also, please keep in mind that pictures of your teammates will not count towards your team’s final score. Now, off you go!”

The teams disperse, talking amongst themselves about the species they hope to find. Della charges forward, making a “c’mon” motion with her hand as the rest of the team follows behind her like, well, ducklings following a mother duck. 

“Last time I saw a phoenix, it was to the north of Waterfall Peak. We’ll have to hike a little--” Gyro groans “--but with luck we’ll make it there and back before they start tallying the final scores! Make sure to drink enough water, everyone. We don’t want you guys getting dehydrated.”

The hike to the north of Waterfall Peak takes multiple hours. While Violet manages to take note of a blue jay and a loggerhead shrike, Huey points out various sparrows, and Boyd finds a red-tailed hawk (something that even Gyro takes excited notice of), Della’s phoenix is still nowhere to be found.

The trail the group has been following finally comes to an end and fades away into underbrush, and Della turns in a slow circle as if there’s something she’s missed. She runs a hand through her feathers in frustration. “Aw, come on. We’re here at the right time of day and everything!” She looks up at the sky, but no sudden flash of bright red fills her vision. “Maybe we should get up to higher ground. I can see more from there.”

“If you want to win so badly, why don’t we just start looking for birds that are more, you know, _realistic?_ ” asks Gyro pointedly. “I’m sure we’ve already gone out farther than almost every other group. Give the phoenix hunt a rest.”

Della glares at him, but takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh. “Fine. Let’s take a break. Did everyone pack something to eat?”

The kids pull out brown paper bags and sit down cross-legged on a few rocks, chatting about the camping experience thus far. Gyro digs in his backpack for a granola bar he remembers putting in there the other day. As he settles down to eat it, leaning against a large boulder, he notices that his chaperoning companion has disappeared.

He sees a trail of disturbed leaves leading deeper into the forest, and sighs, looking back at the kids once before he begins to follow Della. _I just grab her, convince her this is a terrible idea, and we’ll reunite with the kids in less than five minutes. Easy._

While camping may not be his forte, years of lab work have made him quite good at noticing small details, so Della’s trail isn’t hard to follow when he focuses on where leaves have been trampled and sticks have been snapped in half. He finds Della in a clearing with a pair of binoculars, muttering to herself. He clears his throat, and she jumps. “Gah! I mean--Gyro? Why aren’t you with the kids?”

“Why aren’t _you_ with them?” he counters. 

“I was gonna come right back! I just needed to make sure! I mean--if there really is a phoenix in Trinity Woods, and we were the ones to find it, we’d go down in Woodchuck _history,_ Gy. I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid, and now I’ve finally got the chance again!”

“Della, I know you’re excited to win the J-Watt-Webster--”

“JWATWCC-”

“---whatever, but you’ll have other opportunities. You can come back next year with Huey. This isn’t your only shot at winning. Can’t you give it up this one time?”

Della huffs. “I guess I’ve been getting kind of overexcited about everything. It’s just...I’ve missed this. I’ve missed nature and exploring and learning new things and I want to make sure the kids feel how I felt when I was doing this at their age. I guess I’m worried things aren’t exciting enough for them.”

Gyro laughs a bit. “Delphinium Diana Duck, I have never known you to be part of an experience that _hasn’t_ been exciting. Of course, ‘exciting’ usually comes along with ‘terrifying’ and ‘dangerous’ and other such less desirable words, but the point remains.”

Della’s mouth quirks up at the sides. “Thanks, Gy. Also, never call me by my full name again, or I will eviscerate you.”

“Point noted. Look, to be honest, I was afraid _I_ was making things too boring for the rest of you. I really only did this because I wanted Boyd to be happy, but all I really did was end up showing him what a mess I am at all this camping stuff.”

Della hesitates, then tentatively lays a hand on his shoulder. Gyro tenses at the contact, but lets it remain there. “Boyd doesn’t care if you’re good at camping or not. He cares that you’re showing an appreciation for his interests. That’s part of being a parent. I may not understand Louie’s schemes, but I know that he’s good at them and they’re important to him, and that’s the part that matters. It’s the same with you and Boyd. It’s obvious you care about each other a lot, no matter what you do or don’t have in common. For someone so prickly, Gy, you’re not a bad parent.”

The taller chaperone gives a small, rare genuine smile. It doesn’t last long, however, and quickly is replaced with a look of panic. “How long have we left the kids alone?”

Della swears. “Aw, pinfeathers. So much for all that talk about us being perfect parents. Come on. We can still follow my trail in here, as long as it doesn’t start--”

A crack of thunder roars across the sky, and both chaperones are drenched in rain in five seconds flat. “Of course,” Gyro says flatly.

“Well, this is just _great,”_ growls Della. “How am I supposed to see anything now?”

Gyro tenses in sudden, panicked realization. “Wait, what about--”

“Boyd’s fine,” informs Della. “I made sure he packed a pocket umbrella and a raincoat in case of emergency and--”

She shifts under Gyro’s stare. “I didn’t _do anything._ I just took your warning about his aqua--aquagenesis--his water allergy to heart. And planned accordingly. Nothing happened.”

“Normally I would continue this line of questioning further, but I think we should find some cover,” says Gyro, squinting at the sky uneasily. “I don’t like being surrounded by trees during a thunderstorm.”

Della jolts into action. “Right. Considering we’re still near a mountain, maybe we can find some sort of opening or an outcropping we can shelter under. Let’s head north.” 

She pulls a compass out of her bag and begins to follow the needle. Gyro stumbles behind her, having to pause to wipe water off his glasses occasionally. At last, Della comes across a stony cliff face--or rather, smacks into it. 

“Ow.” She rubs her beak, scanning for any openings along the side of the mountain. Her eyes light up as she discovers a hole large enough to climb inside. “Perfect! We can rest here for a few hours. The storm should clear up by then, at least enough to let us see where we’re going.”

She digs a flashlight out of her bag and flicks it on, letting a thin beam of light illuminate her surroundings. Gyro lifts himself through the cave entrance, following behind the female duck. Della steps forward, cautiously. “We should be careful. We don’t know what’s-- _ACK!_ ”

She scrambles backwards as a small figure brandishing a large stick leaps out of the shadows of the cave. The flashlight hits the ground with a _clunk_ and rolls toward the mysterious figure, who shines it in Della’s face. As she winces and turns away, the would-be attacker asks, “Mom?”

“ _Huey?_ ”

Boyd and Violet step out of the back of the cave, looking a bit shaken, if none the worse for wear. Boyd is wearing a bright purple raincoat. 

Huey and Della embrace each other, then part awkwardly, realizing both parties are soaked in rainwater. “Were you guys out in the rain long?” asks Della.

Huey shakes his head. “This is actually pretty close to where we set up to eat. Violet noticed the sky was looking dark, so we headed towards the cliffside to see if there was somewhere we could get inside. Sorry we didn’t wait for you.”

Della shakes her head. “Don’t be! I would have done the same thing in your situation. We’re just lucky we found each other. Now we can wait out the storm together.”

She shivers involuntarily. “Speaking of, we should probably get a fire set up before we all end up sick.”

“On it!” chirps Boyd, who dumps a pile of sticks on the center of the cave floor and sets them alight with his eyes.

Gyro immediately rushes over to him. “Boyd! What did we say about doing that while others are around?”

“It’s alright, Dad. Miss Della and Violet already know what I can do.”

Gyro locks eyes with Della. “Do they, now?” he asks in a steely voice.

“Okay, Boyd!” Della cuts in. “Remember what _we_ talked about the other day? About--” she pulls the younger bird closer so she can whisper to him-- “ _keeping the kayak incident secret from your dad?_ ”

Boyd’s eyes widen in realization. “Oh. Right.”

Gyro is still glaring at Della. She tries to give him as innocent a smile as she can muster. “ _We’re discussing that later,_ ” he mouths at her.

Della only moves a little closer to the fire, letting out a contented sigh as she feels her feathers dry in its heat. “So, now that we’ve got some spare time, how about some more ghost stories?” she asks the kids.

Huey, Boyd and Violet all mutter various faux-enthusiastic noises, and Della laughs. “Yeah. Didn’t think so.”

She rubs her eyes, remembering how early she woke up. “While we’re here, maybe we should all get some rest. Maybe in a few hours, the storm will be over.”

“If you say so,” mutters Gyro, but he removes his glasses and curls up on the floor of the cave. “You know, this is only marginally more uncomfortable than sleeping in that tent,” he says to himself.

The kids all curl up by the fire, and Della feels her own eyes drifting shut as she leans back against the cold rock wall.

* * *

A few hours later, she cracks an eye open as Boyd shakes her gently awake. “Miss Della! The storm’s stopped!”

She stretches, letting her muscles release, and looks out the cave opening at a clear blue sky. “Would you look at that? Looks like we’re getting out of here. Hey, kids, do you remember the direction we came?”

Violet sits up. “I marked it on the map I brought with me.”

Della whoops. “That’s my girl!”

Violet tugs lightly on a loose strand of hair, looking pleased.

One by one, the group climbs out of the cave. Della is last, poking her head out to survey the sky again--and gasps.

“Hey, everyone...you may want to look up.”

A brilliant bird, appearing almost to be lit by flame from the inside out, spirals past the sun, fiery wings outstretched. As Della and the others watch, it seems to shift from red, to yellow, to orange, a starburst of fantastic color. It’s bigger than Della had thought--probably almost her size. 

The five-person group lets out noises of awe. “Well, would you look at that,” says Gyro softly.

Just as the phoenix vanishes behind a mountain. Della remembers her camera. “No, no, _no--crud!_ ” 

She punches the side of the mountain, then instantly regrets it. “ _Ow._ I can’t believe I saw a real life phoenix and we didn’t even get a picture of it! There’s no way Mr. Mildew’s gonna believe us.”

“Actually,” Boyd says, “he just might.”

Della turns. “What do you--”

A whirring noise sounds and a small picture falls out of Boyd’s mouth. He picks it up. “I can visually record anything I see and save them as images in my brain. I’m like a very advanced camera!”

The picture is small, but the image is unmistakable. The phoenix soars majestically across the sky, and Della could almost cry. “Boyd, you little wonder of technology, I could die for you right now.”

“Please don’t,” advises Boyd.

Huey clears his throat. “Um, Mom? I think the sun is starting to set.”

Della’s head snaps up. The sky is beginning to go orange as the sun slowly sinks below the horizon. “ _Ffffamily-appropriate-words,_ we gotta go. C’mon, everyone! This is for all the points!”

She charges through the brush, Violet shouting directions at her as the rest of the flock follows close behind. The day slips ever closer to its end as they rush back to camp, leaping over twigs and rocks. 

As they close the distance between them and their fellow JWATWCC campers, Della hears Mr. Mildew saying, “And now to tally the points. In the lead is--”

“Waitwaitwaitwaitwait!”

Della skids to a stop in front of the old owl, hands on her knees, panting. The kids rush up behind her, and Gyro, wheezing, trails after them. “Gimme a second,” she gasps out.

“What is the meaning of this?” inquires Mr. Mildew. The other troop leaders murmur amongst themselves. 

Della hands in a list of the birds they’ve seen. Mr. Mildew skims it quickly and sighs, “Ms. Duck, I’m sorry, but your team doesn’t come close to the highest point total I’ve seen today. You’d need something highly unusual for this to even come close to--”

“Excellent choice of words, Mr. Mildew. Boyd, the picture, please?”

Boyd presses the image of the phoenix into Della’s palm. Mr. Mildew takes it from her, adjusts his glasses, and leans in closer. “But--this is…”

“Ya dang right it is,” announces Della, proudly. “Photographic evidence of a phoenix in Trinity Woods. So? Thoughts?”

“While you’re late to the ceremony, your conduct was highly irregular, and your group has already broken protocol as it is,” Mr. Mildew admits, “this is, to be frank, a remarkable find, Ms. Duck. I am very impressed. And therefore, your team earns second place.”

“What?!? _Second?_ ”

“Well, as I said, your team was late, and the South St. Canard team did perform remarkably well,” points out the elderly bird.

“You’re _from_ South St. Canard, of course you’d say something like that,” mutters Della under her breath, but she doesn’t argue.

Because she wasn’t disqualified, she didn’t end up lost in the woods, and she finally achieved something she’d been looking forward to since she was a child. Things could have gone a lot worse. 

She grins at Gyro, Huey, Boyd and Violet. “Nice job, team.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stuff to know about this chapter:  
> 1) "phasianid" is just a fancy word for a bird in the family phasianidae, which includes chickens. della's been reading the thesaurus to find words to annoy gyro with.  
> 2) della's full name is not in any way canon, i came up with it for a funny gag. her middle name is, of course, based off of the roman goddess of the moon.  
> 3) if you can guess what hyper-specific bit character mr. mildew is married to, you get a thousand virtual internet points.


	7. The Results Are In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the jwatwcc wraps up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise!! happy august. bet you didn't expect another one of THESE babies so early. but i got a burst of inspiration and sat down and typed this out and edited it in a few hours. and then went back and filled some stuff in. but the point is i was inspired and now you get fluff

“This was always my least favorite part of the JWATWCC when I was a kid,” Della admits to Gyro, rolling up her sleeping bag.

“What, getting ready to go home? That sounds like you,” states Gyro, who is preoccupied with trying to fit his own sleeping bag into his already-lumpy overstuffed backpack.

“Nah. I’m talking about the kids’ final activity--the “What I Learned” journal. They’ve gotta write a free-form essay about what new things they learned from the JWATWCC experience. I’ll tell you what that is--it’s _homework_ in fancy packaging. Learning isn’t about being able to recite your knowledge to some higher-ups, it’s about being able to apply that knowledge in real life.”

With a final grunt, Gyro shoves down the sleeping bag and zips up the backpack. “I don’t know. Sounds alright to me. Actually, it sounds more enjoyable than almost any other activity we’ve done so far.”

“Of course it does,” Della retorts. “You were probably one of those kids who reminded the teacher to collect last night’s homework.”

Gyro doesn’t deign to respond.

“Holy _spacedust,_ you totally _were,_ weren’t you? Oh, that’s _disgusting._ You DISGUST me, Gearloose. I can’t believe we’re friends.”

Gyro raises an eyebrow. “Friends, you say?”

“Or--something like that. Semi-kind-of-hypothetically friends. On a good day. Maybe.”

* * *

_A Study of Multigenerational Social Dynamics Under Stress, by Violet Apollonia Sabrewing_

_During the 35th annual Junior Woodchuck Annual Trinity Woods Contest and Campout, I have undergone a multitude of new experiences, many, if not all, involving my fellow Junior Woodchucks._

_I have learned that a ghost story is more chilling if one tells it well. I have learned that it is prudent to keep a pocket fire extinguisher on hand, as you never know when you might need one. I have learned to keep one eye on the sky when hiking. I have also learned that a “bonding experience” can mean many different things. I have learned that there is much more to my friends than meets the eye. Above all, I have learned that everyone has their own unique specialties, and most of the time, they are not what you would expect. Although, of course, that does not make them any less valuable._

\--

_My JWATWCC Experience, written by Boyd Gearloose-Drake_

_My first JWATWCC was every bit as exciting as I had hoped! My team helped make the trip loads of fun. I’m grateful for every new experience, even if some were rather scary at the time._

_As for what I’ve learned over the past 3 days, I think the most important thing I realized is the fact that it’s alright to have fears and insecurities, no matter who you are. There’s nothing wrong with letting yourself be vulnerable, even if you’re an adult and think it’s important to be mature and know what to do all the time. Everybody still has something to learn. You should never be ashamed of letting yourself grow. Nobody who knows you will judge you for it._

\--

_What The JWATWCC Taught Me, by Hubert G. Duck_

_The JWATWCC can be a fascinating learning experience in many ways! For example, I never knew a kayak was so flammable._

_However, while I would like to say the JWATWCC taught the importance of family, and of friendship--while I would like to say that it taught me that while change is frightening and unexpected, it can also be exciting--I think I already knew those things. The JWATWCC certainly helped remind me, though. It also reminded me that everyone needs a little reassurance now and then, even some of the most amazing people you know. Today, I am prouder than ever to be a Junior Woodchuck, and I’m proud of everyone who is here with me (and some who aren't)._

* * *

A few hours later, with bags packed and tents taken down, the Avian Agitators stand among other Junior Woodchucks from all across Calisota as the final event of the JWATWCC takes place. 

“And now,” Mr. Mildew announces, “we will name the winners of this year’s Junior Woodchuck Annual Trinity Woods Contest and Campout! This year has seen some of the most...exciting events in Junior Woodchuck history, and I will say that you have all performed exceptionally well.”

As Mr. Mildew drones on, Della fidgets with her sleeves. “C’mon, get to the point, old man,” she mutters under her breath. 

“But without any further ado, the first place winners of the JWATWCC are Lyle Squeakson, Paloma Blanca, and Lisa Partridge, with their chaperone, Dave Partridge!”

Della tries to clamp down on the groan that almost leaves her beak, but it still comes out as a sort of strangled-sounding “ _guuuuh_ ” sound. 

It’s not like she wasn’t expecting it. With the exception of the kayak race (and even that could have gone far better) and the birdwatching competition, her team wasn’t exactly a huge contender for first place. But she’d still _hoped,_ with her own patented brand of wild, misguided desire, that maybe this time she’d beat the odds--she’d done it once, she could do it again!

She finds herself glaring at Dave Partridge and forces herself to stop. It isn’t his fault he’s better at avoiding trouble than she is. Just like it wasn’t Milly Hawke’s fault that she could hit more bullseyes during archery practice, and it wasn’t Blake Porker’s fault that he could hold his breath a few seconds longer than her, and it wasn’t Drake Mallard’s fault he could see in the dark really well for some reason.

But as hard as she tries, those old childhood failures are all she can see. She doesn’t hear Mr. Mildew as he announces the second place winner (all she knows is it isn’t her) because all she can see is a younger Della Duck, staring defeatedly forward, as she knows she’s surely doing now. 

“...and in third place, Huey Duck, Boyd Gearloose-Drake, and Violet Sabrewing, with their chaperones, Della Duck and Gyro Gearloose!”

Della is shocked back to the present by _Gyro,_ of all people, shaking her wildly and cheering at a volume that drowns out all of the other teams combined. When he sees her staring at him, he drops her and clears his throat, attempting to look disinterested. “W--well. Hm. How about that,” he mutters, crossing his arms.

“We...we _won,_ ” murmurs Della.

“You won third place,” corrects Mr. Mildew.

“Hush, you,” she reprimands, letting out a joyous sigh. “I’m savoring this moment.”

Third place. It’ll hardly go down in history, but considering all she’s went through in the past few days?

She’ll take it.

“So, do we get a prize or anything?” Gyro asks the old troop leader.

“Ah, yes!” Mr. Mildew smiles. “In recognition of placing third, all of you will receive free sets of camping gear in anticipation of your next visits to Trinity Woods!”

Gyro’s eye twitches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i won't lie, this might have been my favorite chapter to write della and gyro's totally-not-a-friendship. snippets from the kids' essays (obviously they wrote more than just the parts i added, little overachievers that they are). my entirely unsubtle reference. i had a good time with this one. hope you did too, even though it was short.


	8. So Long, and Thanks for All the Bug Bites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang reunites with friends and family.

The JWATWCC has come to an end. The contests have been won, the points have been tallied, and now all that’s left to do is go home.

Gyro stands beside Della, hoisting his overstuffed backpack onto his shoulder. “You know,” the chicken says dryly, “for a minute there I was thinking I might actually miss this place. Then I remembered Duckburg has mattresses and air conditioning.” 

Della snickers. “Well...you still stuck through it. Which, admittedly, is more than I thought you were gonna do.” She claps him on the shoulder, briefly. “Proud of ya, Gy.”

He waves her hand away and mutters a few incomprehensible words, mainly to hide the fact that he’s almost smiling. 

Buses rumble up to the Woodchuck campgrounds, and campers young and old begin to file on board, chattering as they go. The Avian Agitators, together for the last stretch of the trip, gather near the back of the bus in a clump. 

“So, Huey,” a hopeful-looking Della asks her son, “I know things didn’t go perfectly, but you...you still had fun, right?” 

Huey’s eyes light up. “Are you kidding me? That was awesome! I mean, it would have been cool to win, but for me, the JWATWCC is never really about that. It’s about the experience! Discovering new things and staying up late around a campfire and just...well, being there with all of you.”

Della hugs him. “Y’know, kid, that’s not a bad way of looking at it.”

Boyd looks at his own guardian tentatively. “Thanks for doing all this with me, Dr. Gear--Dad. I know you didn’t have a very good time, but it was nice to know you were there with me.”

Gyro sighs. “Listen, kid. Me and nature might never get along, but as long as I know that I did something that made you happy, that’s far more important. It’s my way of making up for...you know, all the other things. If that means I come with you to every J-watt-wick until you age out of the program, well...so be it.”

Boyd smiles at him softly, eyes shining. “May I hug you?”

Gyro nods. “You may.”

Boyd embraces his father-slash-creator, and Gyro reflects that maybe he could get used to hugs.

That’s a very large maybe.

A few hours pass. Huey, Violet and Boyd occasionally chat about the JWATWCC and what they miss about home. Gyro pulls a book out of his bag and spends the rest of the ride home reading. Della uses the time to take a nap.

The bus pulls into the designated pickup spot just as the sun is beginning to set. As Della and Huey disembark, they’re greeted by the entire McDuck family, holding a sign that says _WELCOME HOME CAMPERS._ Small drawings of Della and Huey are rendered in purple ink pen. From the amount of glitter flaking off onto the sidewalk and the proud look on Webby’s face, Della has a feeling she knew who was responsible for the sign. Donald honks a party noisemaker.

Louie and Dewey rush over to Huey. “I know it’s a little much,” Louie says, rubbing the back of his neck, “but we all knew how excited you guys were about this so we thought we should all come and...you know, welcome you back.”

“Do you like it?” asks Dewey. “Webby worked really hard on the sign.”

"I love it!" enthuses Huey.

Della feels her eyes get misty. “It’s perfect, you guys. C’mere.”

She wraps all of her boys in a hug.

Gyro and Boyd are greeted by a frazzled-looking Fenton, who brushes a small spot of ash off his cheek as he runs up to them. “Welcome back!” the smaller scientist hails them. “Everything in the lab is...fine! Absolutely top notch. Nothing went wrong while you were gone! Not a single thing.”

Gyro raises an eyebrow. Fenton grins nervously. 

Boyd takes Gyro’s hand in one of his and Fenton’s in the other. “Come on. Let’s go home. I have so many stories to share with everyone!”

Gyro lets out a breath, then allows his little creation to lead him home.

Violet embraces her dads and sister. “Missed ya, Vi,” admits Lena, brushing a strand of pink-tipped hair out of her face. “How was camping?” 

“I had an excellent time,” Violet says, a small smile on her beak. “In fact, I have a few stories you wouldn’t believe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's a wrap!!! first off, i'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who stuck with me through this process (or even just came across this fic by chance one day and thought "hey, that sounds like something i'd like to read.") to be honest, for a while i wasn't sure i was gonna get to this point (i'm bad at finishing what i start) but i'm glad i did!! and i hope all of you enjoyed coming along for the ride. 
> 
> if i do decide to come back to the jwatwcc in the future, there's a shorter story (probably one shot material) in my head that revolves around the necromancy incident of 1993. predictably, the duck family is involved. i've also been considering writing about huey's first jwatwcc (with his brothers in tow) and how that went. but we'll see how it all plays out.
> 
> whatever happens in the future, i'm grateful for everyone who's given this fic a chance. it's awesome to see that something i wrote mainly for myself could be genuinely enjoyed by other people, too. thank you all for everything! may you never be forced to hike up a mountain unless you genuinely want to.


End file.
